13 attorneys general push Obama on contraception mandate

COLUMBUS, Ohio (RNS) Thirteen state attorneys general are urging the federal government to broaden religious exemptions under the contraception mandate, saying private businesses should not be forced to provide coverage that violates their moral beliefs.

6 Comments

Marvin McConoughey

Unavoidable moral hazards are built-into the minority of attorney generals who favor weakening of the contraception health service. First, and most obviously, it denies employees whose religious beliefs allow contraceptives to obtain those contraceptives through their employee, even though other Americans of like belief can have those contraceptives in other companies.

Second, it allows a monstrous expansion of the power of one’s religious belief. Under the weakening proposal, one individual person can impose a significant part of his religious bias against birth control onto an entire work force, in flagrant contempt for their own religious beliefs. This is more reminiscent of medieval practices in some authoritarian regimes than of modern American religious tolerance.

Third, it allows a significant distortion of the health care system to discriminate against selected workers. Not on the basis of their religious beliefs, but on the basis of another person or persons’ religious beliefs. This is not the American way.

Juanita Rogers

Laurel

Allowing exceptions for private citizens and their businesses will not deny people contraceptives. Contraceptives are still very legal and relatively inexpensive. It will simply allow business owners who believe that life begins at conception to not have to pay for what they believe to be killing a human being and going against God’s law. Conscientious objections are allowed in the military; it should be the same in all aspects of life. The government can’t force people to act against their consciences or dictate what they should believe – 1st amendment.

Marvin McConoughey

The power of business owners with respect to their workers has a long history of being curtailed by governments. What, suppose, is a worker to do if his employer believes, as one religion teaches, that doctors are not necessary–that prayer alone will bring healing. Should the employer be able to compel all workers to have his concept of health care?